AFP
The constitutional changes include the abolition of the prime minister post and transfer executive power to the president; permitting the president to issue decrees and appoint numerous officials; granting the president the ability to order disciplinary inquiries into civil servants, among others. Erdogan also flagged the potential for a referendum on Turkey’s continued effort to join the European Union, drawing concern from European leaders. Analyst Steven Cook wrote after the vote, “The Turkish Republic has always been flawed, but it always contained the aspiration that — against the backdrop of the principles to which successive constitutions claimed fidelity — it could become a democracy. Erdogan’s new Turkey closes off that prospect.”
Ahead of the vote, POMED published a new report by Nonresident Senior Fellow Howard Eissenstat, “Erdoğan As Autocrat: A Very Turkish Tragedy.” Eissenstat warned, “One of the core arguments that President Erdoğan has offered for expanding his power through constitutional reforms is that further centralization of authority will increase stability. Yet the experience of the past ten years has demonstrated that the opposite is true. Without reestablishing rule of law and the independence of state institutions, without creating opportunities for those out of power to participate in their own political futures, the instability that has rocked the country over the past five years likely will intensify. The tragedy of Turkey’s failure is immense.”
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump called Erdogan to congratulate him on the referendum outcome. Trump has praised Erdogan in the past, notably on how he controversially dealt with the coup attempt in 2016. The U.S. State Department urged Erdogan “to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all its citizens — regardless of their vote on April 16.”
In stark contrast to Trump’s praise and the State Department’s wariness, congressional voices criticized the handling of the referendum. Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) on April 18 said: “Turkey’s creeping authoritarianism continues. All who value democracy, pluralism and Turkey’s key role in the region should be concerned about the elimination of important checks and balances in the Turkish system. Many Turks are concerned.” Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called Turkey “a very vibrant democracy, and…one of our NATO allies,” but expressed “hope that the Erdogan government will have a complete investigation” on reported referendum violations. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) said, “The manner in which Turkey’s constitutional referendum was conducted… was disappointing… international observers have made clear that the referendum was conducted in a fundamentally unfair political environment that strongly favored one side.” He urged Erdogan to “recognize the need to pursue a balanced agenda that protects fundamental rights, and ensure voices of all Turkish citizens are represented in his government.”